The New Orleans City Council, specifically Helena Moreno, slipped in an ordinance during Thursday’s meeting reaffirming power of the City Council to remove public monuments at its sole discretion. While those of sound mind warned of the slippery slope in 2015, it is unquestionably steep, and the City of New Orleans continues its descent.

The description of this Monument Ordinance stated if approved it will be “clarifying and reaffirming the City Council’s authority to mandate the immediate removal of monuments, statues, plaques, or other structures, erections, or works of art commemorating an event or individual from outdoor display on public property without regard to the preceding subsections.”

Before getting into the scheme about monument removals, the City Council voted unanimously to rename Jefferson Davis Parkway to Doctor Norman Francis Parkway. Jason Williams spoke about Norman Francis, a personal hero, using the words honor and justice.

When speaking about Jefferson Davis, Williams ever so inaccurately stated that the Confederate States of America “attempted to terminate the United States of America.” Williams is the perfect example of a person entirely uneducated on The War Between the States who tries to act as an authority but as the saying goes about fools, when he opened his mouth he removed all doubt that he was indeed ignorant. It’s insanely well documented that the South wanted independence, not to conquer the United States. Davis himself stated, “All we ask is to be left alone.”

After Williams once again proved his ignorance, he then continued to talk and show his hypocrisy: “What the power structure uses as symbols says a lot about who we are. … I can’t think of a more deserving figure to honor. The words and images we choose represent us and make century-long statements about who we are at the time we put them up, who we believe ourselves to be, and who we want and aspire to be. A street named ‘Jefferson Davis’ clearly was not named with me in mind, or my colleagues in mind, or with all people in mind.”

So Williams is saying because Jefferson Davis does not represent him, he does not belong. Following that logic would also lead one to believe that since Dr. Francis was not named with every person in New Orleans for the next 109 years in consideration, it does not belong. That’s the slippery slope that these Leftists think it’s acceptable for them to dabble in, but not anyone else. Ultimately, it will come back on them.

Interestingly, Williams and most other Council Members praised Dr. Francis, very similar to 109 years prior when Jefferson Davis was commemorated in the city in which he died and was first buried in. If it wasn’t for hypocrisy, Democrats would not have much except entitlements.

Leading up to the introduction of the Davis statue in 1911, the Times Picayune wrote, “To those who know naught of the trials of the great strife, patriotism may but be a negative virtue; to those of the fair Southland, who bore the brunt of the great strife, the patriotism to the reunited country is a positive virtue.”

“We gain nothing in this hour by contentions about who was right and who was wrong.  The people of the Confederacy believed that they were right enough to stake their fortunes and liberties and lives on the result, and with full confidence in the justice of their cause, equaled only by their courage appealed to the final arbiter in human affairs—the sword; and on this appeal they lost. … Jefferson Davis’ name, courage, loyalty, patience and nobility of mind and soul are enshrined in every Southern heart.”

The Jefferson Davis street renaming immediately expanded as Helena Moreno brought forward a piece of legislation reaffirming the City the authority to remove monuments at will. In her introduction, Moreno stated, “This is the companion ordinance to the renaming ordinance that we just did. There are some monuments on Jeff Davis Parkway that will likely need to be removed now that we are changing the name. So this would allow us to remove those monuments by motion. I will say this, I will send, you know, this information to the naming commission so they can send the recommendations to us on the removal and relocation of some of these potential monuments.”

One patriot provided written opposition and requested the Council layover the agenda item for further discussion, specifically stating that it eliminates the public process of monument removal—the Council ignored the request and approved it 7-0 with no discussion.

The Marxist legislation included “the interest to public safety must take precedence with regard to the removal of these symbols and can require immediate action to safeguard the health and welfare of our citizens.”

It also truly stated “recognizing and confronting the deeply embedded systematic racism in our institutions including landmarks to white supremacy.” If they intended to recognize and confront white supremacy, they should not have chosen to erase it which is an act of cowardice and hiding. Furthermore, they have not mentioned Homer Plessy’s white supremacy and disdain for Black people.

Mitch Landrieu, former-mayor and permanent-loser, said on December 17, 2015, before the New Orleans City Council in relation to the future of public monuments in New Orleans: “I don’t know where it’s going to end, but I know where it’s going to begin. That’s today.”

During that meeting, Landrieu also said, “I would expect that going forward the next mayor and the next City Council will be able to formulate rules and or policies relating to this.” Well it appears the 2018-2021 City Council opted for an exclusive power grab. New Orleans politicians have created a “process” void of all public input. The city of New Orleans no longer belongs to the citizens, it belongs to the politicians.

And unfortunately for the citizens and business in Orleans Parish, the politicians running New Orleans seem like a caricature of the reputedly corrupt government. Councilman Jason Williams is running for District Attorney with 11 indictments against him for tax fraud. Councilman Jared Brossett has two arrests for driving under the influence, the last of which occurred on the first night the city reopened after quarantine while he was driving a city vehicle. Mayor Cantrell has nearly $100,000 in tax liens. These same elected officials misspent on city credit cards and claimed ignorance, even when purchasing alcohol.

The hypocrisy can be recorded from their own statements. During the highly controversial December 2015 City Council vote to remove four historic monuments, then Councilwoman now mayor LaToya Cantrell stated at: “I’m a process person. … So, being a process person, being from community, especially leading a community through recovery when this city was at its lowest point, post-Katrina, at a time when we spent hours, hours, days, weeks, months planning for the future of this city, at no time were the monuments an issue then. Well, they weren’t, they weren’t. … How this matter or how this issue was introduced to the community and to the public, but more importantly how it was introduced to the Council, I had a problem with that. I had a legitimate problem with that because there was no consideration given to this body, that is majority African American even, to say how do you think that we should move forward with this? What should the process look like? Give us some consideration. I felt like we were railroaded. We weren’t asked for any input at all. … Now I would hope, and when they do come down, when they do … It’s going to happen. It is going to happen. It is going to happen. But I would hope that we do respect and create a process that it is inclusive. Because in order for our city to reach its fullest potential, we have to really care about all people and it does have to be in the spirit of understanding, the spirit of empathy, the spirit of love. And I really haven’t seen that. … If you are an African American in this city, I’m hoping after these statues come down that we can even come together as a community to address the issues that are plaguing the black community.”

Back to 2020, where LaToya Cantrell, the Queen of Process, just allowed a branch of the New Orleans government to eliminate the public process involving public artwork. Cantrell can veto the legislation, but she won’t. She will ride the wave of Marxism, led by transplants like herself and communist community organizers, similar to herself.

Take Em Down NOLA had a protest scheduled for August 15. On the day of the “action,” they rescheduled it stating: “Due to recent political developments, we are postponing this action to Saturday, August 29. Stay tuned, as we are excited about what is ahead! When we fight we win!”

Five days later, the New Orleans City Council very quietly slid the monument removal ordinance through. The city seems to be absent of law and order as the vandalism goes largely unaddressed. Take Em Down posts its list on social media regularly. The leaders’ comments and social media activity pretty much give them away, yet the City does not care nor does the local Fake News. And with this latest post, it certainly appears elected officials are colluding with the Take Em Down organization to destroy public property. Take Em Down’s August 29 “Action” event meets in Lafayette Square and will march to Jackson Square. If NOPD was serious, they would put the K9 unit inside of the locked gates of the Place d’Armes.

Mayor Cantrell, how much success would you say there has been on addressing “the issues that are plaguing the black community” since those monuments were removed in 2017? The removal of public monuments will never heal the minds of people suffering from an inferiority complex. Monument removal will not lift up any portion of the population. Monument removal will not lower crime stats. The removal of monuments is a self-accolade to liberal-minded people, it doesn’t raise anyone up, it tears people down.

It’s almost as if Leftists want to live in Pleasantville, a fairy tale wonderful place with no adversity and no difficulties, but they could never do it because that involves the white, nuclear family. They want “alternative” life to be the norm. They want to be unique snowflakes by dressing and looking just like all the other snowflake sky-screamers. Nonconformists all conforming together to think, act, and appear different, yet in the same style.

Only one person submitted an opposition to renaming Jeff Davis and only one person opposed the monument removal ordinance, both comments were immediately and unanimously ignored by the elected lawmaking body of New Orleans. This whole 2020 monument ordeal has been quiet. Everyone knows what is coming, but that should not mean a forfeit—it’s time to speak up and speak out. The emails of the Council and mayor can be found at those links. They must hear from those in the public who oppose to the erasure of New Orleans’ history. And while at it, email the NOPD (nopd8thdistrict@nola.gov) and District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro to prosecute the criminals vandalizing public property.

1984 is indeed here. The government of New Orleans is pursuing and that much closer to achieving the goal George Orwell wrote about: “Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.”